Management Summary
Organizations have become highly dependent on digital resources. Identity & Access Management (IAM) and IT Asset Management (ITAM) are both crucial but are often approached separately. By integrating IAM and ITAM, organizations gain not only more control over access and assets but also predictability in costs, increased agility, simplified compliance, and improved risk management. Organizations that approach this strategically leverage their entire IT landscape and create a competitive advantage.

Introduction
Organizations are increasingly dependent on their digital resources. (SaaS) applications, systems, data, and cloud resources are no longer merely supportive but form the core of operations. This increases the need to control who has access to which resources – authorization, proving the corresponding identity – authentication, and understanding the costs involved.

Identity & Access Management (IAM) and IT Asset Management (ITAM) are disciplines that each contribute in their own way to control and security. However, they are often treated separately, while their interrelation actually delivers much greater value.

This whitepaper shows how IAM and ITAM reinforce each other, how concepts such as RBAC and IGA fit within this, and why an integrated approach is key to agility, predictability, and cost control.

What is IAM?
Identity & Access Management is the collection of processes and technologies through which organizations determine who has access to which resources. The essence can be summarized simply: the right person, with the right rights, at the right time.

Within IAM, we distinguish two important pillars. The first is Role Based Access Control (RBAC). This uses roles that are linked to job functions, with each role containing a standard set of usage rights for applications and storage locations. An employee in the role of financial controller automatically gains access to the financial applications required for that role, including the rights to approve invoices. One of the main advantages is that when the employee takes on a different position and the role expires (the employee then becomes a so-called “mover”), the rights are automatically revoked. This reduces security risks (e.g., during offboarding), increases business continuity, and makes costs more manageable.

The second is Identity Governance & Administration (IGA), which focuses on the broader management of the entire lifecycle of authorization and authentication, supported by specialized tools. It includes processes such as requesting, approving, and revoking rights, as well as periodic reviews, certifications, and reporting. While RBAC ensures standardized assignment of rights based on roles, IGA provides the means to continuously monitor, audit, and automate this. An additional benefit is that this in itself brings savings by reducing the workload for employees. Think of self-service portals for access, workflows for managers, and dashboards that make compliance demonstrable. In doing so, IGA not only ensures that rights are efficiently assigned but also that they remain aligned with both internal policies and external laws and regulations.

What is ITAM?
ITAM is a mature discipline within IT (with an emphasis on IT governance) that focuses on managing IT assets throughout their entire lifecycle. This includes software, hardware, licenses, cloud resources, and Software as a Service (SaaS). ITAM plays a crucial role in cost control, risk management, regulatory compliance, and contractual obligations.

An effective ITAM practice begins with an up-to-date, complete, and centrally maintained overview of all IT assets within an organization. This enables organizations to determine which resources are actively in use, which are redundant, and where optimizations (e.g., by understanding and complying with complex licensing terms) are possible. By placing the entire lifecycle of IT assets – from acquisition to retirement – at the center, organizations can make strategic choices that are both cost-saving and risk-reducing.

A mature ITAM practice prevents waste, supports financial management, mitigates security risks, and provides the foundation for compliance and audits. Where IAM focuses on access, ITAM focuses on IT assets. Both domains are inseparably connected but are often approached in practice by separate teams and objectives.

The Connection Between IAM and ITAM
IAM determines who gets access to which resources. ITAM records which resources exist, what they cost, and how and where they are used.

This connection means that the data used by ITAM can be enriched through IAM data, and vice versa. For setting up RBAC and mapping actual usage of IT assets, IAM can rely on ITAM. When the assignment, modification, and revocation of rights are not properly configured, this also affects the use of IT assets and results in additional risks.

An example: suppose an employee transfers from the finance department to HR. Without a well-configured IAM process, that employee often retains usage rights for financial applications, storage locations, and possibly the right to approve invoices, even though there is no longer any functional necessity. From an ITAM perspective, it then appears as if licenses are still in use unless the actual usage can be measured. In reality, that is often not the case. The organization pays for unnecessary licenses and also faces increased risk.

When RBAC and IGA are properly configured, rights, as mentioned earlier, are automatically adjusted when job functions change. IAM thus becomes a reliable source for ITAM.

Strategic Value of the Integrated Approach
The link between IAM and ITAM delivers strategic advantages that go beyond cost savings and compliance.

A first advantage is predictability. IAM data provides direct insight into who needs which resources. ITAM can translate this into expected costs, future licensing needs, cost-efficient licensing, and investment scenarios related to IT strategy. This also enables chargeback based on roles.

A second advantage is agility. Organizations that connect IAM and ITAM can respond more quickly to changes. New employees immediately receive the correct access and associated resources. During reorganizations or mergers, the distribution of rights and IT assets can easily be reviewed.

A third advantage is compliance and risk management. By managing access and IT assets in an integrated manner, an organization can easily demonstrate who has access to what, why, and which costs are associated. This ensures that (sensitive) data is not unnecessarily accessed.

Practical Example: Onboarding and Offboarding
The value of the integrated approach becomes clear in something seemingly simple such as the onboarding and offboarding of employees, also known as joiners-movers-leavers processes.

During onboarding, speed is crucial. If IAM and ITAM operate separately, this often leads to delays and errors: access to an application but no license, or a license without hardware or installed software. With an integrated approach, the organization ensures that these two aspects align seamlessly. The employee’s role determines the rights (IAM), which are automatically linked to the required IT resources such as software and hardware (ITAM).

During offboarding, the risk is at least as great. Without integration, rights and licenses often remain unnecessarily assigned to the departing employee’s account. That leads to unnecessary costs and increases the risk of misuse. With an integrated approach, this is resolved in one step: the revocation of an identity immediately releases the associated assets.

Conclusion
IAM and ITAM are often approached from different perspectives, including security and cost management. But organizations that approach IAM and ITAM in an integrated way leverage their full strategic potential. IAM ensures proper access; ITAM provides insight into assets and costs. Together they deliver visibility, predictability, agility, and compliance. However, every organization is different: the way IAM and ITAM come together strongly depends on the IT landscape, processes, and culture. Would you like to know what value can be achieved in your organization? Then an exploratory conversation with The ITAM-Unit can already provide valuable insights!